The Mind Under Pressure

I’m sure we all heard this term quite a few times in our lives. Choking. No, not the situation that happens when a piece of food goes down the wrong tube; but, the situation when you have a chance to bask in all the glory comes to a sudden halt. Everyone knows this feeling all too well; trying to impress your friends, coaches or your family at an event of sorts only to end in bitter disappointment. Even well trained athletes find this quite a hurdle to overcome when the time comes. Thousands of hours sunk into calm training and strengthening the body only to have that fly out of the window under the most critical of times.

According to this study , there is a definite correlation between expectations and performances. This is especially noticeable when the said person is on a team. Thoughts such as not wanting to be a burden on the team start popping up in the mind. Is there any way to prevent choking fully? I believe only by repeating the same position with the same pressure, we can slowly get accustomed to it. It is difficult after all to replicate intense pressure; and pressure can come in many different forms in everyday life.

Regardless, we are helpless when the choking happens and rest assured, it will happen. The only hope, says Christian Broda in an article for the ChicagoBooth, is that the human mind slowly adapts.